


An Intellectual Curiosity

by TomatoBookworm



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Academy Era, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, No Smut, SHIELD Academy Era, Sci-Ops Era (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-08-20 07:45:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16551809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TomatoBookworm/pseuds/TomatoBookworm
Summary: “Simmons!” Fitz sputtered. “I am not going to have sex with you just because I won’t end up in jail for doing it!”“Why not?” Jemma demanded. “You said I will be great at it. Were you lying to spare my feelings?”“Yes? No? I don’t know?” Fitz squeaked. “I don’t actively think about whether or not you will be great at sex! I was just agreeing with you because you were upset!”******Jemma Simmons wanted to understand the fuss about sex. Too bad her lab partner and best friend refused to help her satisfy her curiosity.





	1. Legal Ramifications

**Author's Note:**

> \- No actual smut. Rating is for 16-year-old characters discussing sex.

 

Jemma closed the door behind her with a strong clink. She didn’t actually slam it; she had enough self control not to damage dormitory property and got Fitz into trouble with building maintenance, but she was irritated enough to use more force than necessary. Her best friend looked up from his desk with alarmed eyes.

 

“What’s wrong?” Fitz asked. “I thought you were on a date with Smith tonight. Did he do something?”

 

“The question is more about what he didn’t do,” Jemma answered. “Why bother going out on dates at all if he knew he wasn’t going to have sex with me?”

 

Fitz had a brief coughing fit. Jemma was rather worried he might spit all over the drone he’d been working on.

 

“Erm, Simmons, dating is not just about sex,” Fitz said. His face was tinged with pink. “Don’t you have, you know, girl friends you can talk to about this kind of things?”

 

“Don’t be daft.” Jemma didn’t bother to conceal her eye roll. “All the female cadets here are at least five to ten years older than I am, and they already see me as an innocent little virgin whose ears are not ready for grownup talk. I am not going to them with this.”

 

“Well I don’t see how I am suitable for this kind of talk either!” Fitz squeaked.

 

“You are my best friend,” Jemma said as a matter of fact. Even though they have known each other for less than a year, Jemma already decided she would never have a friend better than Fitz. “So you have to listen to me when I am upset. Besides, you are male. Tell me why a man would take a girl out when he wasn’t interested in her.”

 

“Why wasn’t Smith interested?” Fitz asked. “I thought you two looked cozy enough last time I saw you together in the Boiler Room. Wait. Simmons, you didn’t start talking about your dissections did you? Obviously you deserve a bloke who appreciates your genius and all, but it would be difficult to get things, um, moving, if he’s trying not to throw up over cat liver.”

 

“This was not my first date,” Jemma said. “I know not to go into the details of my experiments if I want things to progress. It is disheartening, really. You would think that in a place filled with brilliant scientists, I would be able to find at least one person who wouldn’t mind my work.”

 

“I am sure one day you will find that special person who wants to kiss you even when you are both in hazmat suits and looking at something disgusting on the dissection table,” Fitz said with the loyalty of a best friend. “What was the problem then?”

 

“The problem is that I am 16,” Jemma grumbled.

 

Fitz blinked. “So? Everyone knows we are the two youngest cadets here.”

 

“Exactly,” Jemma said. “My youth is common knowledge. The age of consent in our current location is 18. James said he wasn’t willing to risk criminal charges and jail time just for some bad sex.”

 

“How could it be bad?” Fitz asked in bewilderment. “I mean, it’s you! And sex! Umm… I meant… I didn’t mean…”

 

“I know what you mean,” Jemma said. “While statistically a person’s first sexual encounter is often unsatisfactory, there are always exceptions to the rule. I am a nubile young prodigy with a higher than average fashion sense. Clearly I am physically attractive. Even though I haven’t engaged in sexual intercourse before, I have a very good theoretical grasp on the subject, and I am certain I will excel at the execution of the act as well.”

 

“Yeah… um…” Fitz’s blush was spreading down to his neck now. “I am sure you will be great at… it, whenever it happens. Just not with Smith I guess?”

 

“With whom then?” Jemma asked. “James Smith is the youngest cadet in Sci-Tech aside from us and he’s 21. The other cadets are at least 22 or older, given our requirement for a Ph.D. to get in the door. They will have the same reservations as him. I suppose I could look into the men at Operations and Communications, but with all the lab work and lectures, I doubt I will have time to wander to their campuses.”

 

“Why does it matter so much anyway?” Fitz challenged her. “You are 16. There’s no real hurry. Besides, didn’t you go on a rant the other day about how virginity is a social construct?”

 

“Of course I don’t care if society expects people to have sexual experiences by certain age,” Jemma said. “It’s for my own intellectual curiosity. I understand the biology involved, but I haven’t experienced it, and I cannot fathom why something as simple as release of hormones should influence human behavior so much. You were blushing when I talked about virginity last time, and I assume you haven’t had any experience either. Don’t you want to know what the fuss is all about?”

 

“Yeah, I am curious, but it doesn’t mean I am going to sleep with just anyone,” Fitz said. His skin looked positively burning now. “This isn’t a solo lab project. You need another participant. Wait a bit, yeah? The right partner will come along eventually.”

 

Jemma sighed. She walked from her spot by the door towards Fitz’s bed, avoiding the laundry on the floor. Once she straightened his bed sheets, Jemma kicked off her shoes and sat down on top of the comforter. Fitz reached from his chair to the small nightstand tucked between the bed and the desk, and he opened the bottom drawer with a flourish.

 

Giving him a small smile, Jemma grabbed the box of chocolates from the stash of junk food in the drawer. Before Fitz, she would never dream of snacking so late at night. Over the course of many months and several grueling exams, Fitz had convinced her that an occasional indulgence in junk food was acceptable for dealing with a confidence crisis. He always knew how to lift her spirits. She would eternally be grateful to the day they teamed up for lab. If only she could find a sexual partner as wonderful as Fitz was at being her lab partner and friend. Jemma put down the chocolates as a thought struck her.

 

“Fitz! You are a boy!” Jemma exclaimed.

 

“Boy genius, thank you very much,” Fitz said. He had gone back to working at his desk and he didn’t look up.

 

“Yes, but I mean you are a boy! Not a man!” Jemma said. Oh how did she not see this before? The solution to her problem was right here in the room.

 

“Right, that’s exactly what every 16-year-old bloke wants to hear.” Fitz put the drone down and gave her a suspicious glance. “What mad ideas are you hatching now?”

 

“I stopped by the library earlier to read up on local laws regarding age of consent before I came to your room,” Jemma said. “To see if I could prove James wrong.”

 

“Of course you did,” Fitz said. “And?”

 

“Here they have something called Romeo and Juliet law,” Jemma said. “It stated that if two people between the ages of 14 and 17 were to engage in consensual sexual intercourse, and the age difference between them is minor, then it’s not a criminal offense. You are only 23 days older than I am. We can have sex without legal ramifications!”

 

“Simmons!” Fitz sputtered. “I am not going to have sex with you just because I won’t end up in jail for doing it!”

 

“Why not?” Jemma demanded. “You said I will be great at it. Were you lying to spare my feelings?”

 

“Yes? No? I don’t know?” Fitz squeaked. “I don’t actively think about whether or not you will be great at sex! I was just agreeing with you because you were upset!”

 

“As if you would ever blindly agree with me,” Jemma scoffed. “Do you think I am physically attractive?”

 

“... Yes?”

 

“Do you believe me when I say I have done extensive research on the subject of sex?”

 

“... Yes?”

 

“Do you think I will fail in converting my theoretical knowledge into proper execution of the act?”

 

“... No?”

 

“There,” Jemma said. “Sex with me will be great. Why shouldn’t we do it?”

 

“Because… because you are not attracted to me!” Fitz said. He waved his hands in wild circles. “You can’t just lie down, close your eyes, and get it over with. You still won’t know what the fuss is all about when you haven’t got the right partner.”

 

“Nonsense,” Jemma said. She could feel herself blushing. It was easier to bat her eyelashes at James than to admit to Fitz how attractive she found him. “You are quite appealing physically. The first time I saw you, I thought you were very… pasty, and handsome.”

 

“Really?” Fitz laughed without humor. “Pasty is attractive for you?”

 

“Yes,” Jemma said. She had such a schoolgirl crush on Fitz when they first met. He was so brilliant and handsome. Fitz hated her though, and he refused to talk to her for a long time. Once they became proper friends, Jemma had told herself sternly to stop objectifying him and focus on enjoying his company rather than daydreaming about his eyes. She couldn’t let hormones ruin the best friendship of her life. She always thought he would tease her once he found out about her silliness, but he didn’t seem to enjoy her little admission just now.

 

“Thanks for the effort,” Fitz said. “But it’s not happening. I am not going to be your partner on this only for the sake of your intellectual curiosity.” He held up a hand to halt Jemma’s protests. “You are upset, Simmons.” His tone softened slightly. “Go back to your room and get some sleep, yeah? See things more clearly in the morning. Smith never deserved you anyway. You will find someone better.”

 

Jemma tried not to pout at him. She was in perfect possession of her emotional and mental facilities. No one could be better than Fitz. She recognized the tone though, and Fitz won’t change his mind anytime soon. The idea of trekking back to her own room was loathsome even if the trip was only two flights of stairs. She was comfortable here on his bed. However, considering he had already turned down sex with her, asking to stay overnight would probably be awkward. With as much dignity as a rejected 16-year-old nubile prodigy could muster, Jemma stood up.

 

“I am going now,” she announced. “Only because it is late and not because I’ve said my last word on the subject. We are going to talk about this again in the morning.”

 

“Good night Simmons,” Fitz said in a voice that was half fond, half exasperated. “You can convince me to have sex with you tomorrow.”

  



	2. The Golden Ratio

Sleep did not change Jemma’s resolution on having sex with Fitz. She woke up feeling happy, energized, and determined to sleep with her best friend. The two of them were great in everything they do. Surely a physical encounter between them would be highly satisfying as well, and she would finally understand the appeal of sex. Upon reviewing her memory of the previous night and analyzing every word, Jemma decided Fitz’s main objection was that he didn’t believe he was physically attractive to her. Well, clearly she had to prove him wrong.

 

The first morning lecture was a little awkward for Jemma when James tried to talk to her. In retrospect, she probably shouldn’t have scheduled the date on a Thursday night when she had hoped to take things further with James. She always spent Friday nights with Fitz though, and it didn’t cross her mind to give up an evening of science discussions and television even for the sake of sex. James was apologetic for her hurt feelings, but Jemma made it clear they would only be classmates from now on. She didn’t want to date anyone who acted as though he knew better than she did, even if he was technically correct on the legality of the issue.

 

Fitz patted Jemma awkwardly on the shoulder after witnessing her quiet exchange with James. He really was a good friend. She gave him a smile and he twitched in his seat. The boy could be daft sometimes. She was not going to proposition him in front of Professor Vaughn and other cadets. Apparently Fitz came to the same conclusion and calmed down. They went through their classes and labs without any incidents. By dinner time, everything was back to normal.

 

“... so the drone will be able to take physical measurements and report its findings. Think about the practical applications in the field!” Fitz said.

 

He had been designing a drone for field use in his spare time. After they became friends, he began asking for Jemma’s input from a biochemist’s point of view. Even after months of fruitful collaboration, Jemma still found herself amazed at how well they could work together and complement each other’s disciplines.

 

“It’s a great concept,” Jemma agreed. “I still think you are trying to fit too many functionalities in at once though. You can’t measure this number of biometrics simultaneously with your current prototype.”

 

“I know,” Fitz said. “That’s why I want you to take a look at my design for the scent and temperature sensors. If we can combine the measuring devices somehow, then we won’t have to worry as much about weighing the drone down, yeah?”

 

“Certainly. Let’s go to your room.” Jemma put away her dinner tray, grabbed her book bag, and walked out of the cafeteria with Fitz.

 

Spring had arrived and the fragrance of flowers floated in the air. If they finish building the drone within the next month, then they could conduct tests outside. It would be an interesting challenge to have the device identify different flowery scents. They would have to avoid flying the machine into their amorous classmates lurking behind trees though. Jemma had noticed people tend to be disgruntled when their sexual encounters were interrupted. She’s had her share of kissing and fondling above the waist, which admittedly feel very nice, but she didn’t understand other people’s urge for more. After they finish working on Fitz’s schematics,  then perhaps she could try again to convince him to help her investigate the subject.

 

They arrived in Fitz’s room and Jemma looked through his design. They debated for a while, but ultimately they have to admit Fitz’s idea was too ambitious and they wouldn’t be able to fit all the biometric sensors on a single drone. Fitz flopped down on his bed with a dramatic sigh.

 

“Ugh!” Fitz said. “So now I’ve got a drone that can take visual measurements but nothing else. Lots of good that does.”

 

“It will still be helpful for investigating tight spaces,” Jemma said from the chair. “Who knows what fields agents have to deal with? You are doing good work here, Fitz.”

 

He grunted from his bed and rolled over to lie on his back. “Don’t sugar coat it. I think we are done on science tonight. What do you want to do now? Put on the telly?”

 

Jemma looked at the drone on Fitz’s desk. Time to move on to the next project.

 

“Mind if I test the drone and gather some data?” Jemma asked.

 

“Go right ahead.” Fitz waved a hand in her direction.

 

She picked up the controller and directed the drone to hover above Fitz’s face. He really didn’t give himself enough credit. The device was taking measurements of various facial features in mere seconds when it would have taken a human several minutes to gather the same data.

 

“Er, Simmons? Why is the drone flying over me?”

 

“I am measuring your face of course.”

 

“Okay… why?”

 

“To prove that you are wrong.” Jemma flew the drone back to the desk. She then grabbed Fitz’s laptop and showed him the data in triumph. “Look! The proportions of your face match phi quite closely.”

 

“Phi?” Fitz asked.

 

“The golden ratio,” Jemma said. Really, he was the engineer here. She shouldn’t have to explain mathematics to him. “After last night, I realized that you didn’t believe me when I said you were attractive. Here is the mathematical proof. As a society, we have a history of judging beauty in terms of how closely the face adhered to the golden ratio. Your face has an almost one hundred percent match. Clearly you are quite physically appealing.”

 

Fitz gaped at her. Should she have laid out her arguments in a more concrete format? Jemma didn’t think she needed to write a formal paper on the subject of Fitz’s face, but maybe he wanted to verify her references. She put the laptop down and began to mentally list the scientific papers that have investigated the link between phi and aesthetics.

 

“So, um, you are saying that, um, I am cute?” Fitz finally asked. His ears were pink. “Are you… are you trying to flirt with me?”

 

“No,” Jemma answered. She fought down the urge to blush. They were scientists. She would have better success getting into Fitz’s bed by giving him logical reasoning, rather than acting like a teenager and launching into hormone-addled ramblings about how much she wanted to kiss his face. “Last night your objection to having sex with me was that I didn’t find you appealing. Now I have presented the level of your physical attractiveness as a mathematically proven fact. Therefore, your argument is void.”

 

“Oh,” Fitz said. “It’s not about me then.” He sat up on the bed and stared at her. “You still want an answer to your question, and I am the only one here who can sleep with you without going to jail.”

 

“I’ve had time to think about it, and really, I like following the rules,” Jemma said. “I won’t want to dally with anyone who would knowingly break the law, particularly given our aspiration to work for a secret government organization. Just think of the questions they might ask us for our security clearance. You and I though, we can engage in sex with minimum legal hassle. We will be perfect sexual partners as well as lab partners!”

 

“You are forgetting one thing,” Fitz said. “I already said no.”

 

“But!”

 

“No buts, Jemma.”

 

The use of her first name caught Jemma off guard. He had always called her Simmons before. She stopped her protests and looked at Fitz. He was rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

 

“Look,” Fitz said. “I know you don’t let go of an idea easily, and I understand the need for answers. We are scientists. It’s what we do. You and I though, we are also more than that.” He paused and took a deep breath. “You are my best friend. If we… have sex… as an intellectual experiment, it’s going to make things awkward. I don’t want to risk losing you.”

 

“Oh,” Jemma said. She hadn’t considered the possibility of sex complicating their relationship. One physical encounter certainly wasn’t worth losing her best friend. Somewhere in the corner of her mind though, she still thought the idea of them together could lead to spectacular results, and she made one last effort to persuade him.

 

“How do you know it would be awkward?” Jemma asked. “We might have some mishaps during the act itself, given our lack of experience, but we are reasonable people. Surely we can be professional about things afterwards and continue to be friends?”

 

“What, sleep together once, shake hands, then go back to watching Doctor Who on my bed?” Fitz said. “I am pretty sure it won’t work that way.”

 

Jemma bit her lips. The idea of having sex with Fitz followed by cuddling and watching Doctor Who together actually sounded quite nice. She might even want to do it more than once. “But maybe…”

 

“No means no, Jemma,” Fitz interrupted her. “Pretty sure consent works both ways. You can’t keep on trying to change my mind about this.”

 

“You are right,” Jemma said. She felt terrible for pressuring him. “I am so sorry Fitz. It is your body and I need to respect it. I will stop attempting to have sex with you from now on.”

 

“Yeah. Still friends?” Fitz asked. He looked a little uncertain.

 

“Of course,” Jemma said. She firmly pushed all thoughts of Fitz, sex, and cuddling out of her brain. “Best friends.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Remember kids, no means no, regardless of whether it comes from man or woman. *Gives canon the stink eye at Ward/Lorelei and Fitz/Aida* 
> 
> \- Not all scientists agree on the link between phi and beauty, but canon Jemma likes symmetry in men, so I decided to go with it.
> 
> \- I am feeling down today so I decided to post something lighthearted to cheer myself up! I hope you all like the idea of Jemma’s mathematical flirting as much as I do!


	3. Happy New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- 17 year old character thinks about having an one night stand in a location where age of consent is 16.

Jemma pulled the scarf tighter around her neck and resisted the urge to go home. Her coat and leather trousers were both stylish and practical for the outdoor rooftop party, but she could still feel the cold winter air. Jemma Simmons was a girl on a mission though. She wanted to start her new year right by having sex.

 

Eight months have passed since Fitz declined her invitation for a physical encounter. Jemma focused on her work and shoved her crush to the very back corners of her mind. Fitz teased that she loved homework more than life itself, but the reality of it was he challenged her. If she didn’t put in her best work, Fitz would easily have taken the top spot in their class, and she couldn’t let him graduate as first place simply because she was too busy staring at his lips. 

 

With summer classes and heavy course loads during regular semesters, Jemma found herself graduating the Academy in December along with Fitz. They decided to visit their respective hometowns for the winter holidays before starting their new jobs with S.H.I.E.L.D. in January. Jemma was bored within a week. Much as she loved her parents, they have their own lives to lead, and she never made any close friends in Sheffield. Without anything else to do, Jemma decided to pick up her study on sex once more. 

 

The age of consent in England was 16, and Jemma had celebrated her 17th birthday back in September. She was single, and she wanted to enjoy male attention again. After all, she couldn’t hold on to her crush when Fitz showed no romantic interest in her. While Jemma didn’t want to pursue a relationship weeks before starting her first job across the ocean, she felt adult enough to investigate the possibility of an one night stand. A new year’s eve party seemed like a good place to try and find a suitable partner. 

 

“Jemma! Are you doing all right?” Liz asked. Eight years older, her cousin had never been close to Jemma, but they were on amicable terms. Jemma decided to join the party partially because Liz would be there. According to her research, it was important to have a trusted companion nearby when one was trying to pick up strangers. 

 

“I am fine,” Jemma answered. “Go enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about me.”

 

The older cousin gave her a smile and went to dance with her friends. Liz’s companions were not too happy about the idea of a tag-along teenaged cousin, so Jemma wandered alone towards the beverages corner. She took a sealed bottle of water from the table. 

 

“Can I interest you in anything stronger?” a man asked. 

 

Jemma glanced at him. Caucasian, fairly muscular, too little light to identify his eye color. He could be a candidate for her project. 

 

“No thanks,” Jemma said. She wanted to be sober when she chose her partner. “What is your name?”

 

The two of them chatted for a little while. The man’s conversation was boring, which Jemma was used to. No one ever interested her like Fitz did. Still, the man was good looking and didn’t run off immediately when he heard she had two doctorates, so she continued the dialogue. Eventually, the man said something that was supposed to be witty and flirtuous, then he leaned in for a kiss. 

 

“Wait,” Jemma said, backing away. “Do you have any sexually transmittable diseases?”

 

“What?”

 

“I am not asking for your complete medical history,” Jemma said. “That would be a gross invasion of privacy. It is possible to engage in satisfying sexual encounters with someone who has STDs as long as one uses correct preventive measures. I am merely trying to ascertain what degree of precaution I should take before we exchange spit or other bodily fluids.”

 

The man stared at her, then he turned and walked away. 

 

Jemma shrugged. A biochemist knew the importance of following proper safety protocols, but obviously not everyone agreed. Fitz would understand her if he was here. 

 

The same scenario played multiple times throughout the night, with men turning away at Jemma’s simple questioning. Finally, at twenty minutes before midnight, a promising candidate came along.

 

He was Asian, tall with a nice smile, and he confirmed that he had undergone a complete medical examination two weeks ago without any health issues. They chatted for over fifteen minutes. Jemma was beginning to think she had found her one night stand partner when she noticed the time. 

 

“There are only three minutes left until midnight!” Jemma said. 

 

“Yeah,” the man said. “You can see really nice fireworks from this rooftop when the clock strikes zero. I live in the building so I’ve always come up here for the new year.”

 

“Mmm… maybe you can show me your place later,” Jemma said. She did her best attempt at a seductive smile. “Just give me five minutes. I will be right back.”

 

“Huh?” the man asked. “But it’s almost time for the countdown.”

 

“Yes,” Jemma said. “I have to call my best friend and wish him a happy new year!”

 

She hurried away to a relatively more quiet corner of the rooftop. Taking out her mobile phone, Jemma dialed Fitz’s number.  

 

“Simmons?” Fitz answered on the second ring. “Is everything okay? I thought you were out at a party tonight?”

 

“I am still at the party,” Jemma said. “Just want to call and say Happy New Year!”

 

“It’s not the new year yet,” Fitz said. “Are you drunk? Where is your cousin? Someone needs to take care of you if you are losing track of time already.”

 

“Don’t be daft.” Jemma rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see her. “I’ve been drinking water all night. Of course I have to call before midnight so we can do the countdown together!”

 

“Oh,” Fitz said. “Yes, that would be nice.” Jemma could hear the smile in his voice. “So are you enjoying the party?”

 

“It’s been rather dull for the most part,” Jemma said. “There was a delicious specimen though that I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on later. He wanted to hear about my two doctorates and I’ve told him I want to see his place.”

 

“Jolly for you,” Fitz said rather half-heartedly. “Why aren’t you doing the countdown with him then? Perfect excuse for a kiss.”

 

“I will find him later,” Jemma said. “But I have to wish my best friend a happy new year first.”

 

“Good to know you have your ranking order straight,” Fitz said. “Best friend trumps romantic interest anytime, yeah?”

 

“Always,” Jemma said. 

 

All around her, people stood still and began to shout out the number of seconds left until midnight. Jemma and Fitz counted down quietly in unison. “... five, four, three, two, one!”

 

“Happy New Year, Fitz.”

 

“Happy New Year, Jemma.”

 

Fireworks exploded in the sky. It really was an interesting display. Jemma began describing the sight to Fitz so he could deduce the mechanical aspects of the spectacle with her. She listed the chemical reactions necessary for the array of colors, while he calculated the required angle and velocity of the missiles for the best effect. Wrapping the coat tightly around her, Jemma cradled the phone to her ear and pretended Fitz was standing right there with her. It was their first separation since becoming friends, and she couldn’t believe how much she missed him. 

 

Once the fireworks ended, people began to mill about again. Jemma held on to the mobile while looking around for her former interest. She found him locking lips with someone else. 

 

“Better luck next time,” Fitz said through the phone. “Are you staying or heading home then?”

 

Jemma considered her options. The party showed no sign of ending. She had attracted plenty of male attention tonight and she was certain she could find another man. Talking to Fitz was more interesting though. She phantomined to Liz that she was leaving. Her cousin nodded in acknowledgement from the dance floor. 

 

“I am going home,” Jemma said. “Liz drove me here but she’s not leaving yet. At least there should be plenty of cabs waiting for partygoers at this time.”

 

“Let me stay on the phone with you then,” Fitz said. “I want to hear you get home safely.”

 

Jemma hailed a cab and went home. She was debating Fitz on the possibility of encoding secret messages in fireworks as she walked through her parents’ door.

 

“Jemma dear, you are back,” her father said from the couch. He always pretended to stay up watching television even though they both knew he was really waiting for her to come home. “Are you talking to Fitz again?”

 

“Of course,” Jemma answered. She covered the microphone with one hand so she could talk to her parents. “I called him so we could do the countdown together.”

 

“Darling, that was almost an hour ago,” her mother said with a smile. 

 

“Was it?” Jemma said. “I didn’t notice. Happy New Year! Good night.”

 

She apologized to Fitz as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom. “Sorry about that. Just had to say good night to my parents.”

 

“No need to apologize,” Fitz said. “Should I get off the phone too? Let you get some rest?”

 

“Oh no,” Jemma said. “I want to keep on talking. Unless you are tired?”

 

“Nah,” Fitz said. “You know me, I can stay up. Besides, I want to talk to you too.”

 

Jemma couldn’t help but smile. Of course she knew she was Fitz’s best friend too, but it was always nice to know he wanted their connection as much as she did. She closed the bedroom door behind her and placed the phone on her bed.

 

“You are on speaker now,” she informed him as she began taking off her coat and heels. “Oh, it’s nice to finally get out of these shoes.”

 

“Need both hands to unzip the boots again?” Fitz asked. “I will never understand how you put those things on in the first place.”

 

“I was wearing regular heels tonight, not the thigh high boots,” Jemma said. “No, I need my hands free to take off these leather trousers. They make my legs look fantastic but I really have to wiggle around to get out of them.” 

 

“Simmons!” Fitz made an incoherent sound. “You can’t… you can’t take off your trousers while you are on the phone with me!”

 

“Why not?” Jemma asked. “It’s not as if you can see me.” Even if he could, he wouldn’t be interested in seeing her taking her clothes off, she added silently with a sigh. 

 

“You just can’t,” Fitz said. “I am going to hang up now. Call me back when you are decent, yeah?”

 

Jemma rolled her eyes as the line went dead. For a teenage boy, Fitz was surprisingly prudish sometimes. She finished changing into her pajamas, went into the en-suite to take off her makeup and brush her teeth, then went back to the bed and picked up the phone again. Fitz answered immediately. 

 

“Are you decent now?” he asked.

 

“Yes, I am dressed,” Jemma answered. “Your old Doctor Who T-shirt actually, nothing improper about that now is there?”

 

“What… Simmons, are you messing with me?” Fitz demanded. 

 

“No,” Jemma said. She didn’t understand the question. “It’s a T-shirt. What’s your objection now?”

 

“You can’t just tell a bloke that you are wandering about in nothing but his clothes!” Fitz said. 

 

“I will only do that in summer, Fitz,” Jemma said. “Of course I have pajama bottoms on now. It is much too cold to wear nothing but my knickers and your T-shirt.”

 

Fitz made a choking noise. “What… why do you even have my T-shirt?”

 

“You outgrew most of your clothes, remember?” Jemma asked. He had gone through a growth spurt shortly after his 17th birthday. “When we were packing up our dorm rooms, I took most of your old things to the charity shop. There was one bag labeled ‘clothes’ with a jade green marker, and you know J is for jade is for Jemma, so I took it home, thinking it must have been the gloves and scarves I’ve left in your place. You really should pay closer attention to your labeling system, Fitz.”

 

“I didn’t think I would need a labeling system for packing up old clothes,” Fitz said. “So you’ve got all my ratty T-shirts then?”

 

“Well…” Jemma said. 

 

“Simmons, what else do you have?” Fitz asked. 

 

“Just some button downs and ties,” Jemma said. She felt embarrassed even though it had been practical to try his clothes on. They were the same height before his growth spurt and she couldn’t let good clothes go to waste. “Don’t worry, the shirts won’t button properly at the chest, so you won’t see me coming into the lab with your button downs gaping in the front. I like the look of your ties though, I think I am going to incorporate them into my own wardrobe.”

 

Fitz was silent. Jemma was about to offer taking off the T-shirt if the idea of her wearing his clothes bothered him so much. Before she could do so, he began talking rapidly about the project ideas he thought of earlier. She shrugged and made herself comfortable under the covers. As Jemma snuggled into her blankets, with Fitz’s voice speaking softly in her ear, she thought her new year had begun with a splendid start. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I based my FitzSimmoms Academy era timeline on Ritalara’s excellent Tumblr post, http://ritalara.tumblr.com/post/175616478917/fitzsimmons-timeline.
> 
> \- I hope the time jump isn’t too abrupt, but I really wanted to show that Jemma is choosing Fitz even when they are apart, and he wasn’t just a convenient choice for her because he was there. Not that either of them fully realizes it quite yet... Next stop, Sci-Ops era!


	4. Birthday Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- 18 and 17 year old characters drink alcohol in a location where legal drinking age is 21.

The summer breeze felt pleasant on Jemma’s bare arms and legs. The recent heat wave had lasted for a week and finally broke tonight. In a moment of whimsy, Jemma changed into a rarely worn cotton dress when she went home to pick up Fitz’s present. Fitz insisted that all he wanted for his 18th birthday was a Doctor Who marathon and endless slices of cake at his place, so she supposed she could have stayed in her work outfit. She had not been on a date for three months though, and she wanted to dress up for once. Not that she was going on a date. If dinner, television, and fascinating conversations counted as dates, then she and Fitz would have been dating for almost two years by now. They were simply best friends enjoying each other’s company on a Friday night. A girl could want to feel pretty for herself. 

 

Jemma walked to Fitz’s building and let herself in with his spare key. Fitz’s neighbor waved to her on his way out. She knocked on the apartment door and waited. Fitz’s roommate had been very upset with her last time when she entered without knocking and caught the man in a compromising situation with his fiancée on the couch. 

 

“Simmons!” Fitz said when he opened the door. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of her and Jemma tugged at her dress. He was still in his blue button down shirt and work trousers, although he had rolled up his sleeves. After a brief pause, he waved her in. “Perfect timing. I finished straining the pasta a moment ago. The sauce should be done simmering now. Let me put everything together and we can eat.”

 

“You cooked?” Jemma asked as she placed her handbag and gift on the coffee table. “I thought you would order pizza tonight.”

 

“Please.” Fitz gave her a knowing look. “You would have spared me the lecture on cholesterol because it is my birthday, but then you would need to control your eye rolls throughout dinner. By the time we get to the cake you would literally be biting your lips. I want to enjoy my birthday dinner, but I also want you to be happy.”

 

He walked into the kitchen and began serving pasta onto two plates. Jemma poured two glasses of water and brought them to the dining table. Fitz had already set out the utensils and napkins. He came out with their food and placed the plates down. 

 

“Dinner is served, my lady,” Fitz said in a faux English accent. He even pulled out her chair with flourish. 

 

“You are ridiculous,” Jemma said after she sat down. “I’d think you have a better English accent by now after spending so much time with me.”

 

“Your Scottish accent isn’t any better,” Fitz said as he went to his own seat. “Dig in now. This is the last healthy food you will see tonight.”

 

“Oh Fitz!” Jemma took a proper look at the plate. “You made this for me?”

 

“It’s just spag bol,” he said. His cheeks were flushed. Maybe he had been standing in front of the stove for too long. “Nothing fancy.”

 

“You also made vegetables,” Jemma pointed out. The sautéed brussel sprouts looked quite good next to the spaghetti bolognese. 

 

“Well I knew you’d want something green,” Fitz said. “And I put bacon pieces in there. Humans are not supposed to eat rabbit food on its own. I do have standards you know.”

 

“Of course you do,” Jemma said. She had to fight down the urge to lean across the table and kiss him on the cheek. Why couldn’t any of her past dates be as sweet as Fitz? Not that she was on a date. It was simply difficult to find romantic prospects when her best friend was the most considerate, most generous man in the world. 

 

They smiled at each other before starting to eat. The food was surprisingly delicious. 

 

“I have no idea you could cook like this,” Jemma said between bites. “Why didn’t I ever know about it before?”

 

“It’s a relatively recent development,” Fitz answered. “My Ma was convinced I’d starve to death without a student cafeteria, so she made me learn to cook before coming back to America. We’ve been so busy in the lab since we started working though, I haven’t had a chance to show you.”

 

“She even taught you to make brussel sprouts?” Jemma teased him. “I would have thought you’d insist on studying only recipes that involved lots of meat and cheese.”

 

“It’s your fault, really,” Fitz said. “Remember that time we were talking on Skype over the winter holidays and my Ma walked in? You had her thinking I was going to die from scurvy in the Academy if it wasn’t for you. She insisted I needed to learn vegetable recipes too, said it would be a nice gesture to cook green stuff for you someday.”

 

“Thank you for thinking of me,” Jemma said. “This is delicious. Oh! I almost forgot. Shall I get us some wine? To help wash this green stuff down your throat?” 

 

“I am 18, Simmons, not 21.” Fitz looked at her with mock horror. “Are you suggesting we break a rule?”

 

“The drinking age in Scotland is 18,” Jemma said. “I thought we would celebrate your birthday with your country’s rules. Dave said he’d buy us a bottle last week when I mentioned it to him.”

 

“Is that why he wiggled his eyebrows at me before he left?” Fitz wondered out loud. “There is a bottle of wine on the kitchen counter. He also said something about remember to be safe and that he won’t be back home tonight. Probably thought we would get drunk and didn’t want to clean up after us.”

 

“I am sure we will be responsible drinkers,” Jemma said. “Your roommate has nothing to worry about.”

 

“What’s this about ‘we’ now, hmm?” Fitz asked. “You are 23 days younger than me, Ms. Seventeen.”

 

“Oh stop,” Jemma said. “England allows 16 year olds to have a beer at meals with adult presence. I’ve drank plenty of ciders before.”

 

“I don’t know,” Fitz said. “I am an adult now. Can I really condone this type of teenage behavior?”

 

Jemma stuck her tongue out at him. It was perhaps a little childish, but he was being a prat. “The only thing you cannot do now is have sex with me, Mr. Adult. Do you want the wine or not?”

 

Fitz choked. Jemma was about to go over and perform the Heimlich maneuver when he recovered. “Wha… what?”

 

“Sex,” Jemma said. “Now that you are 18 and I am 17, according to the local laws you would be committing a criminal offense if we have sex. Of course you already turned me down back in Academy, so it’s a moot point anyway.”

 

“Why, why would you even bring it up then?” Fitz asked. “Were you, um, were you thinking about it?”

 

“I guess it was on my mind,” Jemma admitted. “I’ve been doing research to see if there were any traditional presents for men upon reaching their 18th birthday, but all the suggestions on the Internet were birthday sex.” The research might have led to some confusing dreams. She refused to indulge in the fantasies while she was awake though. Fitz had made it very clear that she did not have his consent for sexual activities, and she couldn’t go against his expressed wishes. 

 

“Right. Yeah,” Fitz said. He was turning as red as the pasta sauce in front of him. “Can you get the wine? I think I’d like to try it.”

 

Jemma went to the kitchen and found two wine glasses along with the bottle. She returned to the dining table. 

 

“Dave was very thoughtful, he even left the wine glasses out for us,” she commented as she poured them each a small glass of wine. “I wish my roommates and I could get along nearly as well as you and Dave.”

 

“Still set on moving out in October then?” Fitz asked. 

 

Jemma nodded. Her roommates were decent people and good agents. They were simply much older and have nothing in common with her. “If I could actually find a place, then yes.”

 

“Why would it be an issue?” Fitz asked. “You’ve been looking at listings for a while and you have almost two months left.”

 

“Did you never read the ten page section in S.H.I.E.L.D. handbook about maintaining proper security and cover?” Jemma said. “We were both too young to sign our own leases when we began working, so Human Resources found us older agents to live with. Now that I’ve started to look at the rental market, I am realizing how difficult it is to find a proper apartment. The building must have impeccable security. The landlord and immediate neighbors all need to pass S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secret background check but cannot ask too many questions about my job. Places like that are hard to come by.”

 

“Come live here then,” Fitz said. “This building is crawling with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. My downstairs neighbor stopped complaining about my weekend tinkering as soon as he saw me at the defense armor presentation couple months ago. Turned out he’s in Operations and my Big Head hat saved him from a concussion once.”

 

“They’ve renamed it to Cap Protect and you know it,” Jemma said. “I would love to live closer to you, but the only opening in this building is the 2-bedroom unit above here. I can’t afford it on my own.”

 

“Oh,” Fitz said. He stared at his untouched wine glass. Jemma hadn’t drank hers yet either. She was about to suggest a toast when she noticed his eyes darting towards her before looking back down again.

 

“Fitz, what are you thinking?” she asked.

 

“Huh? Nothing,” he said quickly. 

 

“I know that look,” Jemma said. “You have an idea, and you were sneaking glances in my direction, so it has something to do with me. What is it?”

 

“It’s stupid,” Fitz said. He refused to meet her eyes. 

 

“Nothing you say could ever be stupid to me,” Jemma said. She reached out across the small dining table and placed her hand on his. “Please, tell me.”

 

“Dave and his fiancée finally set the wedding date today,” Fitz said. “We’ve talked vaguely about me staying here while they are planning the wedding. They are too nice to kick me out, but I won’t want to live with newlyweds anymore than they would want me around. I was going to find a single bedroom apartment of my own, just figured I have plenty of time still…”

 

“Or we could move in together!” Jemma exclaimed. “This is brilliant!”

 

“I don’t know,” Fitz said, finally looking up at her. “Don’t get me wrong, you are my best friend. I just… would it be weird? Us living together?”

 

“Why would it be weird?” Jemma asked. “We know each other’s habits already. If we can maintain a collaborative lab environment, then surely we can have a happy home life together as well. Oh! Is this about biology? I promise to look away from the crotch area if you like to wander about in your boxers on weekends. Of course, I would expect the same courtesy when I take my bra off after I come home from work.”

 

“That’s… exactly why I think it won’t work,” Fitz said. He looked down again at their linked hands. “I don’t think you’ve noticed, but I am a boy and you are a girl. Living together would be too… messy.”

 

“Why?” Jemma asked again. She definitely knew he was a boy, but he acted as though he wasn’t aware of her girl parts most of the time, so she didn’t understand his objection. Now that she had the idea of them living together, she couldn’t let it go. 

 

“It’s not just about finding a suitable apartment, Fitz,” Jemma said. “I can always go to Human Resources and ask them for another roommate match. If I give them a clear written list of my requirements and preferences, I am sure they will be able to find me something. No, I have a choice and I want to live with you. You are my favorite person in the whole world and now that I think about it, I don’t know how I ever lived without you in the first place.”

 

“Really?” Fitz raised his eyes. His smile was luminescent. “You choose me?”

 

“Always,” Jemma said. 

 

“All right,” Fitz said. “I will probably regret it, but yeah, let’s move in together.”

 

“Excuse me.” Jemma took the hand that was resting on his and swatted his forearm. “Living with me will be the best experience of your life. I am going to make sure you eat properly, take you to the gym for exercise…”

 

“I am regretting my decision already,” Fitz said. 

 

“Hush you,” Jemma said. She raised her wine glass. “Happy birthday, roommate.”

 

“Thanks, roommate.” Fitz clinked his wine glass against hers and they both took a small sip. “Eww. I think I need water to wash that out.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outtake between Chapter Three and Chapter Four
> 
> Fitz: Maaaaa. I know how to make peas. Why would I need to cook other vegetables?
> 
> Mama Fitz: Don’t take that tone with me, Leo. Boiling frozen peas do not count and you know it. Besides, Jemma likes vegetables.
> 
> Fitz: What… what does that have to do with anything?
> 
> Mama Fitz: Well she’s been making sure you eat properly over there in America. It would be nice to make dinner for her sometimes, won’t it?
> 
> Fitz: We are just friends Ma!
> 
> Mama Fitz: I didn’t say you weren’t. You’ve been going on and on about how she makes the best sandwich for you and it’s just as good as my food. Don’t you want to cook a nice homemade meal for her too?
> 
> Fitz: Right. Best friends cook for each other, yeah?
> 
> Mama Fitz: Sure they do. Now are you going to learn or not?
> 
> Fitz: Fine. Can we at least make a recipe that has both green stuff and bacon in it?


	5. Proper Adults

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Reference to workplace sexual harassment, older men hitting on 18 year old woman.

“Good morning Fitz,” Jemma said as her roommate walked out of his bedroom. 

 

Fitz grunted out a greeting and headed straight to the hallway bathroom. He had insisted that Jemma took the bigger bedroom with the en-suite bath. The result was that Jemma enjoyed the sight of her best friend in a state of dishabille every morning. Of course it was quite innocent. Despite her promise to look away from sensitive areas, Fitz had slept in his sweaters and trousers for the first week of their cohabitation. On the eighth day Jemma shoved a set of men’s pajamas at Fitz and told him firmly to put it on. Now Fitz emerged in the mornings wearing a T-shirt and pajama bottoms. Jemma liked watching his messy curls, but she was very careful not to let her eyes linger too long on his exposed arms and morning scruff. 

 

She was sipping her tea when Fitz came out of the bathroom. He hadn’t shaved yet and still looked half asleep. She walked over to him.

 

“You have a little toothpaste here,” Jemma said. She rubbed the corner of his mouth gently with her fingertip. “There, all clean. I made a pot of tea. Would you like a cup?”

 

“Thanks. You are the best, Jemma,” Fitz said. He smiled at her and Jemma almost let her finger slid over his lips instead of taking it away from his face. Sleepy Fitz was always affectionate. 

 

They went into the kitchen together. Jemma took out a mug while Fitz searched the pantry for cereal. She carried the mug to their dining table and poured the tea for him. He came out of the kitchen with his breakfast and gulped the tea down. 

 

“Still jet lagged?” Jemma asked. 

 

“No,” Fitz answered. “I was working late last night on some designs. No one is around this week. Perfect time to get things done without someone blasting holiday music in my ear.”

 

“Yes, I’ve been very productive in the lab as well,” Jemma said. “I think we made the right decision, going home early for the holidays and coming back immediately after Christmas. Now we can celebrate the new year properly with each other.”

 

“What, no party for you this time?” Fitz asked. 

 

“There’s no point in going out when all I want is to do the countdown with you,” Jemma answered. “We would be much more comfortable in our apartment. Maybe we can watch the fireworks on television. I missed doing that with you last time.”

 

“We sort of did over the phone,” Fitz reminded her. 

 

“It wasn’t the same,” Jemma said. 

 

Fitz gave her a fond smile. “All right. Doing the countdown. Watching fireworks on the telly. Anything else on your to-do list?”

 

Jemma pondered the question. Last year was the first time she spent new year’s eve with people other than her parents. The party was entirely forgettable except for her phone call with Fitz, and she didn’t even find an one night stand as she intended. To be honest, she had not given much thought to the idea of finding a sexual partner since then. It felt strange to abandon a project without cause, but she simply didn’t have any interest in it.

 

“Not really,” she answered. “The only incomplete item on my resolutions list was to have sex. As you’ve pointed out, I cannot conduct the project on my own. Today is already the 29th. I doubt I am going to find a suitable partner in less than 72 hours.”

 

“Oh,” Fitz said. He poked his spoon around his cereal bowl. “You are not seeing anyone then? I thought some blokes were showing interest a while ago.”

 

Jemma rolled her eyes at him. “We’ve lived together for almost two months now. Have you seen me on a date in that time? My popularity surge in September was thanks to you anyway. Remember that gorgeous display of pressed flowers you gave me for my birthday?”

 

“What did that have to do with anything?” Fitz asked. “I thought you liked it.”

 

“I loved it,” Jemma said. “Which was why I hung it on the wall right by my office desk. It was quite a conversation opener. Everyone wanted to know where to find a framed display of pressed flowers arranged in the double helix shape.”

 

“It was your birthday and I wanted to give you flowers,” Fitz said. He made a casual shrug with his shoulders, but his ears were pink. “Fresh blooms were too much of a contamination risk at work, and I didn’t want to send a bouquet to your old apartment when you barely spent any time in it. Sorry you have to make do with dried petals.”

 

“Fitz, I’ve already told you I loved it,” Jemma said. “Everyone agreed it was very sweet when I told them you made the whole thing for me. Of course then I had to dispel another round of rumors that we were dating. Some men took it to mean that I am ‘legal, single, and ready to mingle.’” She winced at the phase.“It’s atrocious how people could butcher the English language. They didn’t even get the rhyming right!”

 

“And, you are not? Ready to mingle?” Fitz asked. 

 

“Technically, I am single and now legally allowed to have sex,” Jemma said. “Those men were so boring though. I would much rather spend my time with you. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the one who suggested I could wear a schoolgirl uniform under my lab coat to fulfill his little fantasy.”

 

“WHAT?!” Fitz yelled. “Why didn’t you tell me this before? That’s sexual harassment! Who was it? Did he try anything?”

 

“Don’t worry,” Jemma said. She patted his arm across the dining table. “I am a biochemist, remember? He learned his lesson. I also told him if he ever say anything inappropriate to a woman or a colleague again, I’d make sure he lose penile function permanently.”

 

“You should have told me,” Fitz said. “I know you can take care of yourself and you don’t need a man to save you, but I don’t like anyone ever treating you that way. You deserve the best, Jemma.”

 

“I have the best,” Jemma said. “I have you.”

 

The frown on Fitz’s face softened. “You do have me, and I am going to make sure that bastard regret the day he was born. Was it Richardson? I knew something was off the last time he came into our lab. He stayed clear of you the entire time.”

 

“Fitz, I don’t want you to get into trouble over me,” Jemma said. 

 

“Too late,” Fitz replied. “Don’t worry, I will make sure he can’t trace anything back to either of us.”

 

Jemma stood up, walked to Fitz’s side, and kissed him on the cheek. The soft stubble felt good under her lips. 

 

“You are stubborn, over-protective, and absolutely wonderful,” she said. “I have to get ready for work. Try not to think of too many methods to torture Richardson over breakfast? There’s an interdepartmental holiday luncheon today, and we’d have to keep a blank face until you decide on your plan of attack.” 

 

“You are assuming I won’t have already implemented five different ways to make his life hell by noon,” Fitz said with a grin. “Lunch is going to be great.”

 

******

 

As it turned out, lunch was uneventful. Richardson disappeared as soon as he saw Jemma. Fitz had a satisfied little smirk on his face, and Jemma assumed he had initiated his offensive against the other man. Before she could ask for details, Dave dragged Fitz away to talk about something. Jemma shrugged and focused on her food. 

 

“Hi Jemma,” a voice said behind her.

 

“James!” Jemma exclaimed after she turned around. “What a pleasant surprise. Are you working at Sci-Ops now?”

 

“Yeah,” James said with a smile. “Graduated the Academy a year early. Can’t compare to your record of course, but here I am.”

 

“That’s wonderful,” Jemma said. “How do you like it so far?”

 

They’ve barely begun to exchange pleasantries when Fitz came over to them.

 

“Smith,” Fitz said. “What are you doing here? Thought you would be on your final year at the Academy right now.”

 

“I was just telling Jemma that I finished a year early,” James said. “I am working at Sci-Ops now. How have you been?”

 

“Good,” Fitz said. He looked at Jemma. “We should get going, Simmons. I want to get your opinion on a project I’ve been working on. Shall we?”

 

“Of course,” Jemma said. She nodded at James. “It was good seeing you again.”

 

“Actually, would you like to grab a drink together after work today?” James asked. “Catch up properly? I’d love to hear more about your projects.”

 

“Certainly,” Jemma answered. She had not treated James very well in the Academy. Now that she was working as a proper adult, she had encountered more than one vulture looking at her as easy sexual prey. Richardson was simply the most blatant one. Upon reflection, Jemma appreciated James being a gentleman and felt bad for her immature attitude towards him back then. Agreeing to a drink together would be a nice conciliatory gesture.

 

“Great,” James said. “Here’s my number. Call me when you are ready to go?”

 

Jemma nodded and took the slip of paper from James. She walked out of the room with Fitz, who was uncharacteristically silent. Jemma tried to engage him in conversation, but he only gave her short responses. Fitz became more talkative once they went back to the lab though, and work took up the rest of the afternoon.

 

“I should go meet James now,” Jemma said as she turned off her computer for the day. The room was already empty except for Fitz and her. “Are you going home soon? If so, do you want to pick up some sparkling cider for the weekend? Otherwise I can do it on my way back.”

 

“I am probably going to stay late,” Fitz said. He glanced at her. “We are still spending the weekend together then?”

 

“What kind of question is that?” Jemma asked. “We always spend Friday nights together, and Saturday is New Year’s Eve. You promised me this morning we could do the countdown together.”

 

“I thought… you might want to see Smith over the weekend,” Fitz answered. 

 

“Of course not,” Jemma said. She didn’t see how Fitz came to such an erroneous conclusion. “You are my best friend, Fitz. I won’t give up our time together for anyone else.”

 

“Right, best friend first,” Fitz said. He looked away from her for a moment. “Sorry. I know where I stand with you. See you later, yeah?”

 

“See you at home,” Jemma said. She stood up from her desk. On an impulse, she paused by Fitz’s side and kissed his cheek. The shaved skin felt smoother than his morning scruff. Jemma decided she liked both textures. 

 

Fitz stared at her. Jemma told herself not to blush and walked out. She wanted to reassure Fitz that he would always come first, and she certainly wasn’t kissing anyone else on the cheek. Maybe if she repeated the gesture often enough, Fitz would reciprocate as well. Cheek kisses would be an excellent way for them to demonstrate their affection and reaffirm their friendship with each other. 

 

James was already at the restaurant when Jemma entered. Since she was not 21 yet, James had found them a table rather than seats at the bar. He clanked his beer bottle against Jemma’s glass of virgin iced tea, and they began to chat. The conversation was easy. James was a brilliant scientist in his own right, and he could keep up with Jemma’s explanations if she slowed down and elaborated. He was charming too, and Jemma found herself laughing at his anecdotes about working as a novice in Sci-Ops. 

 

“I am having a really good time so far,” James said. He played with his empty beer bottle and looked at Jemma. “Do you want to order something to eat as well? Or maybe do this again another time? As a date?”

 

“Oh,” Jemma said. “Was this supposed to be a date? I thought we were just catching up as friends.”

 

“We are,” James agreed. “But it could turn into a date if you want. I know we didn’t have the best breakup, but your age isn’t an issue anymore. Not that I am expecting anything!” He held his hands up. “I am just saying, I really liked you before, and I want to see if we can give it another try.” He gave her an earnest smile, the one that used to make her blush back in the Academy. 

 

Jemma stared at him. She had abandoned the idea of having sex because she couldn’t find a proper partner. The men she’d met were all lacking in one way or another. Now finally, here was someone whom she knew to be scrupulous, kind, intelligent, charming, and physically attractive. He was every bit as good as Fitz. 

 

“I should say yes,” Jemma said. “You have everything that I am looking for in a romantic partner.”

 

“But?” James asked.

 

“But you are not Fitz,” Jemma answered. The words seemed obvious to her as she was speaking, even though she had never consciously thought about them until now. “I thought I didn’t want other men because they couldn’t measure up to Fitz. You are a good man. And I still want him.”

 

“Ah,” James said. “I thought I might have a chance since he called you Simmons at lunch, but I can’t say I am surprised.” He nodded at her. “Tell Fitz I wish you two the best, and we can all hang out as friends sometime?”

 

“Thank you,” Jemma said. “You will make another woman very happy someday.” She tossed down some bills to cover her iced tea. “I have to go. Goodbye!”

 

Jemma rushed out of the restaurant. Her brain was abuzz with the new discovery. She loved Fitz. She knew it now. What to do though? He was the most important person in her life, and she could not risk losing him. 

 

When Jemma unlocked the apartment door, she had drafted a 20-step proposal to show Fitz her positive attributes as a romantic partner, with a detailed contingency plan to hide her feelings and preserve their friendship if Fitz rejected her. She was not prepared for the sight that greeted her. 

 

Instead of staying late at work and allowing Jemma time to refine her plan, Fitz was already home. He was walking out of the kitchen when Jemma closed the door behind her. 

 

“Jemma?” Fitz asked. “You are back early. I just started making popcorn. Do you want anything?”

 

Jemma stared at him. She wanted more than cheek kisses. She wanted regular Friday night dinners that they acknowledged as dates. She wanted to fall asleep in his clothes after he took hers off. She wanted post-coital cuddles during Doctor Who marathons. 

 

“I want to have sex with you,” Jemma said. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Real life made it difficult to update this past week, but I already have a good chunk of the final chapter written, so I should be able to finish this soon!


	6. The Grand Finale

Something flashed in Fitz’s eyes.

 

“Why is it,” Fitz snapped. “That you only want to sleep with me after going out with Smith? What did the wanker do this time?”

 

“What?” Jemma asked. “This has nothing to do with James. Well, in a way it does. I realized I didn’t want to have sex with him.”

 

“Great,” Fitz said. “I don’t see how that involves me. Just tell me if I need to give Smith the ‘how-dare-you-hurt-my-best-friend’ speech or not.”

 

“No, James was a perfect gentleman,” Jemma said. She fought down a flash of hurt at Fitz calling her his best friend. He didn’t know she felt differently about him now. Jemma put down the grocery bag she’d been holding and took a step in Fitz’s direction. “Please, Fitz. Can we talk?”

 

“I’ve told you before, Simmons, I am not a consolation prize,” Fitz said. He turned away from her and walked towards the couch. “Let’s forget it, all right? You want to watch anything?”

 

Jemma stood rooted to her place on the floor. The logical part of her brain wanted to agree with Fitz and pretend she never said anything. In the morning, she could put her plan in motion and slowly introduce Fitz to the idea of her as a romantic prospect. She would take a miniscule step each time, so that if he rejected her advances, she wouldn’t have ever said anything directly and they could slide back into pure friendship. Her heart disagreed.

 

“Simmons? What do you want to watch?” Fitz asked from the couch. He was looking down and fiddling with the remote control. After continued silence from Jemma, Fitz glanced up, and he promptly ran to her.

 

“Jemma?” Fitz put a hand on her shoulder gingerly. “Tell me what’s wrong. I swear, if Smith hurt you…”

 

“Will you stop?” Jemma cried. “It’s not about James or anyone else. I am 18 and I can sleep with whomever I want, and I want you. Tonight I realized that I am completely in love with you, but you walked away the moment I suggested sex, and I am afraid you will never see me as more than a friend. Of course you are not obligated to return my feelings. I just don’t know what to do because I can’t even imagine dating other people anymore…”

 

Fitz cut off her rant by crushing his lips into hers. Jemma let out a surprised sound and kissed him back. He slid the hand on her shoulder down to her waist, and Jemma reached out to cradle his face in her own palms. They were both panting when they finally separated for air.

 

“You love me?” Fitz asked, his eyes searching hers.

 

“Yes,” Jemma answered. “I had a 20-step plan to show you how much I love you and why you should consider me as a romantic partner.”

 

“No need,” Fitz said. “Actually, I do want to know how you were going to seduce me, but I think we can agree now to being romantic partners.” His ears were pink as he said the last two words.

 

Jemma considered him. She used the hands still on his face to hold him steady, and she looked deeply into his eyes. “Fitz, you are awfully quick to accept this.”

 

“You are my best friend and you just said you love me, what’s not to accept?” Fitz said.

 

“Exactly,” Jemma said. “We are best friends. It should take you some time to adjust to the idea of shifting to a romantic relationship. You hate change.” She gasped and dropped her hands. “You already knew you have feelings for me!”

 

“Yes, I love you too,” Fitz said. He was definitely blushing now. “That’s good, right?”

 

“Don’t change the subject,” Jemma said. She felt warm and happy at Fitz’s declaration, but she wasn’t going to let him distract her that easily. “When did you realize you have romantic feelings for me?”

 

“At New Year,” Fitz admitted sheepishly.

 

“New Year?” Jemma asked. “That was 363 days ago! Why didn’t you say anything?”

 

“At first I wasn’t sure if I was having a crush on you again,” Fitz said. He scratched the back of his neck at Jemma’s surprised noise. “Yeah, I had a huge crush on you when we first met in the Academy. Pushed it away once we became friends. Didn’t want to be a creep who drooled over his best friend. At New Year though, we stayed on the phone after the countdown…”

 

“Yes, I remember,” Jemma said. “We’ve talked on the phone before. What was different about that time?”

 

“You were taking off your trousers as we talked,” Fitz said. His face was red. “I hung up the phone because I was a 17 year old bloke and I, um, needed a moment. Listed Fibonacci numbers until you called me again. Then you said you were wearing my T-shirt and I, um, liked the idea of you in my clothes even better than you getting undressed.”

 

“So you were aroused by me?” Jemma asked. A pleasant tingling was spreading from her chest.

 

“It was more than that,” Fitz said. “I mean, initially, yeah, I thought the response was purely physical. Later, I couldn’t stop thinking about you wearing my things, and I realized it was because I wanted you to be mine.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Obviously you are a person, not an object, and I have no rights to be possessive. I just, want us to belong to each other?”

 

“I like that,” Jemma said. “You are mine and I am yours.” She leaned in to capture his lips with her own. Fitz responded eagerly. The kiss deepened. Fitz’s arm on her waist tightened, holding her close.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Jemma asked after they paused to catch their breath. “We could have been doing this for almost a year.”

 

“Told you it took me some time to process,” Fitz said. “I was worried I’d ruin our friendship if I said anything. It’s not like you’ve ever shown any interest in me.”

 

“I beg your pardon!” Jemma exclaimed. “I told you back in the Academy that I found you attractive! I gave you mathematical proof!”

 

“That was just you trying to argue a point,” Fitz said. He paused. “Wasn’t it?”

 

Jemma rolled her eyes at him. “Honestly Fitz. I might not have been aware of my feelings until tonight, but I most definitely appreciated your physical form even back then. Of course I’ve been respectful of your body after you expressly stated you did not wish to engage in sexual intercourse with me. I’ve never consciously masterburated to thoughts of you.”

 

“What, um, you, um, what?” Fitz stuttered. “Consciously?”

 

“There were some dreams,” Jemma admitted. “Particularly ones where we were each other’s birthday presents.”

 

“I thought about telling you on your birthday,” Fitz said in disbelief. “Had a whole speech to go along with the present and got scared. Then we became roommates and I was afraid of make things awkward. You mean we could have been making out this entire time?”

 

“Yes,” Jemma said. She stepped out of his embrace. “Come on, we should make up for lost time.”

 

“Brilliant,” Fitz breathed. He started to walk towards the couch and then paused when Jemma didn’t follow him. “Er, Jemma? What are you doing?”

 

“I am putting groceries away,” Jemma explained. She took her grocery bag off the floor and brought it to the kitchen. “I told you earlier, I would pick up sparkling cider on my way home if you planned to stay late at work.”

 

“Yes, I remember,” Fitz said. He followed her into the kitchen and watched Jemma as she put a bottle of sparkling cider and a bag of carrots in the fridge. “Um, do you want to eat first then? The popcorn should be done in the microwave.”

 

“I am not hungry for food right now,” Jemma said. She finished putting away the perishables and pulled out the last items in her bag. “Shall we?”

 

Fitz stared at the three boxes of condoms in her hands. “You… bought… those?”

 

“I wasn’t expecting to use them tonight,” Jemma said. “In my original plan, you would realize I am physically attractive somewhere between steps 10 and 15, and we would need the condoms after we admit our love to each other at step 20. Since I was already going to the store for the cider, I thought I would prepare ahead of schedule. According to my research, these are the types of condoms most people prefer, but we can buy other kinds if you like.”

 

Fitz was silent. Jemma watched him swallow several times, but no sound was coming out of his mouth. She began to worry.

 

“Am I going too fast?” Jemma asked. “I know I want to make love to you, and earlier you seemed interested in exploring the physical side of our new relationship, but we can slow down. I don’t want to do anything you are not comfortable with.”

 

“No!” Fitz said. “I mean yes! I am interested. I just needed a moment to process. This was not how I expected my night to go.”

 

“So that’s a yes then?” Jemma asked again. “To having sex? With me?”

 

“Yes, Jemma, I want to have sex with you,” Fitz said. He was blushing again, but his voice was firm. He reached out and took the condom boxes from her hands. “Let’s find out how to use these then, shall we?”

 

“Yes, Fitz, I’d love to figure out sex with you,” Jemma said. She felt giddy. They were going to embark on a new project together, and it would be the best experiment of their lives.

 

******

 

Jemma was curled up in Fitz’s arm. They were lying on her bed and she traced his torso with a fingertip. He pressed a soft kiss into her hair.

 

“You all right?” Fitz asked. “Can I get you ibuprofen or anything?”

 

“I am sore, but it’s manageable,” Jemma answered. She felt quite content despite the mild pain throbbing between her legs. “It does feel strange though. I suppose I haven’t stretched those muscles quite like this before.”

 

Fitz made an indecipherable noise. He had stopped blushing earlier when he was focused on mapping out her erogenous zones, but now his ears were tinged pink again. “Was it okay? I mean… you know?”

 

“Oh it was a smashing success from the lovemaking point of view,” Jemma said. “I can’t believe we are so bad at sex though!”

 

“What?” Fitz sputtered. “You just said it was a success!”

 

“Yes, I enjoyed our lovemaking,” Jemma reassured him. “I felt very connected to you emotionally. You were quite considerate too, making sure I achieved orgasm through clitoral stimulation before coming in. But Fitz, we fell out of the bed.”

 

“I couldn’t see where I was reaching for support,” Fitz complained. “You have too many pillows on your bed. We should have done it in my room.”

 

“My bedroom has the en-suite,” Jemma reminded him. “It’s much easier to dispose of the condom when you only have to walk a few steps, especially since we haven’t figured out how to tie it afterwards.”

 

“I knew how,” Fitz claimed. “I just… didn’t.”

 

“You mean you were repulsed by the bodily fluids,” Jemma said.

 

“Not repulsed,” Fitz said. “I am very much in favor of your bodily fluids. Well, not the blood part. I didn’t tie it because, um, I didn’t have the brain power right then.”

 

“Oh Fitz,” Jemma said. She felt inordinately proud of herself. “Are you saying sex with me reduced your cognitive functionality?”

 

“I am an 18 year old boy genius who just saw and touched real female genitalia for the first time,” Fitz said. “My brain was short-circuited for a bit.”

 

Jemma raised her eyebrow. “Real female genitalia?”

 

“ _Your_ genitalia,” Fitz amended. “No desire to see anyone else’s.”

 

“Good,” Jemma said. She snuggled closer to him. “For the record, I like your genitalia too, and I am sorry for kneeing you in the groin earlier.”

 

Fitz shuddered besides her. “It’s all right. Just be careful next time, yeah? Don’t move right after I pull out. Wait till I am off you first.”

 

“Or I could be on top next time,” Jemma said. She glanced at him, feeling both bold and shy. “Maybe I can kiss it better later?”

 

“You want to?” Fitz stared at her. The look on his face made Jemma’s belly tighten. If she wasn’t so sore, she would have suggest another round of lovemaking. Right then, her stomach rumbled.

 

“Sorry,” Jemma apologized. “That wasn’t very sexy. I never got a chance to eat tonight.”

 

“You didn’t have dinner with Smith?” Fitz asked. “Why didn’t you say something when I offered you popcorn earlier?”

 

Jemma looked at him. Sex really was reducing his cognitive function at an alarming rate.  

 

“Right, you said you weren’t hungry for food then,” Fitz said. He blushed. “Let me make you something. Pasta all right?”

 

“Pasta would be lovely,” Jemma said. She sat up and pulled on her knickers. Pausing for a moment, she picked up Fitz’s shirt from the floor and shrugged it on. When she looked up after doing the buttons, Fitz was gaping at her.

 

“Is this too much?” Jemma asked. “You did say earlier you liked the idea of me wearing your things.”

 

“You are basically fulfilling every wet dream I’ve had in the past year,” Fitz answered. “I feel like I should reciprocate somehow.”

 

“Don’t worry, I have plenty of fantasies that I’d like to explore with your participation,” Jemma said. She reached out and intertwined her fingers with his. “As a scientist, I do have a curious mind.”

 

“As your colleague, best friend, and romantic partner, I am happy to conduct this joint project with you,” Fitz said. He grinned at her. “Think we will figure out what the fuss on sex is all about?”

 

“I think we already have,” Jemma said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mini Epilogue
> 
> Two nights later, Fitz and Jemma completely missed the New Year countdown and the fireworks. They were too busy figuring out how many orgasms they could achieve in one night.
> 
> ******
> 
> Thank you to everyone who followed this story! I had a blast writing it and I hope it was fun for you to read as well!

**Author's Note:**

> \- The age of consent in United States vary from 16 to 18 depending on state. Since canon never specified the Academy’s location, let’s pretend it’s in a state where the age of consent is 18. 
> 
> \- Similiarly, not all states have Romeo and Juliet laws, and they all have slightly different age requirements. The first Romeo and Juliet laws didn’t pass until 2007, at which point FitzSimmons would have been 19-20 years old. For the purpose of fanfiction, let’s pretend the law came into effect much earlier. 
> 
> \- If there are any actual teenagers reading this, please check your local laws before having sex and don’t take fanfiction as life guides. Also remember, safety first!
> 
> \- I want to see if I can write something light hearted and completely free from canon angst. Tell me if I succeeded?


End file.
